Opening night at the Nationwide Arena (thank god!). Yes I know it’s just preseason but is good to be back in the barn again.
Tonight should bring lots of excitement to the fans in attendance and the radio audience. The top 9-10 forwards will be playing and probably 5 out of 6 of the defense that will dress for the opening night of the regular season will be playing tonight.
That is what most thought would be the buzz tonight but instead in a late move, Hitchcock being the self described “tricky guy” put Jon “Nasty” Mirasty in the lineup. Why would a player that most casual fans have no idea who he is put that kind of buzz in the arena. Because this is Nashville and Nasty does one thing very well and that’s not baking cookies. The fire plug who uses cage fighting as part of his off season training will be sure to send a message in his NHL debut. Even though there will be no TV coverage tonight, I bet you that when Mirasty starts slugging, someone will capture it and it will be on YouTube in the morning.
Now to more of the original reason there was going to be a buzz. Nash, Brassard, Huselius line up together for the first time in live action. Brassard played well in the preseason opener against Chicago but this is when he has to become an impact player between 2 proven players. This line needs to impose their will against what is going to be the opponents shut down line. This is the big question is if Brass can handle a big physical line that is there to do one thing and that is shut that line down. We will soon find out.
The 2nd line of Modin, Umberger and Voracek will be equally important. This line has to score. The Jackets have never had 2 consistent scoring lines. If they have any hopes of sniffing the playoffs, the top 6 have to bury the puck on a regular basis. This line won’t be much flash as Hitch described them as a “North and South” line. They are all big and strong and should be going to the net hard and fast. These top 6 will also be important on the powerplay. This specialty unit was anything but special last year and will have to finish in the top half of the league this year to think they have a shot at the playoffs.
Commodore, Tyutin and Backman are the new faces on the defense and will be in action tonight. We need to find out if they not only can they replace Foote and Hainsey but can they be better. The CBJ need to get better play from the blueline and they also need the ability for them to score. This team doesn’t have enough scorers in the forward ranks not to need them to score. Tyutin is expected to help and Backman has to or he will be of no use to the blueline as he is a truly an offensive defenseman that can make coaches pull their hair out in our own in. He has to make up for that by tickling the twine more than once or twice this year.
The only way we will find out if any of this can happen is when they drop the puck. Tonight will give us a preview to see if it is feasible against a team that gives us fits every time we play. Now lets drop the puck!
Feel free to post questions throughout the game and I will try to answer them as quickly as I can.
Starting lineup for the Jackets will be Derrick Brassard, Rick Nash, Kristian Huselius, Fedor Tyutin, Rostislav Klesla & Pascal Leclaire.
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1st period is underway and right from the 1st shift the Jackets put on immediate pressure. Nash had a very good scoring chance but came up empty.
Well it didn't take long! 2:27 in and Nasty gets after it. Dropping the gloves with Josh Gratton. I just want to know if he has any feeling in his face because everytime Gratton hit him in the grill, Mirasty's smile got bigger. You can tell he was just excited to be on the big time ice. He pumped his arms in the air with a big smile. The crowd appreciated the effort as he traded about 30 blows in a dandy of a scrap.
Preds score at the 6:02 mark. Erat went unmolested to the goal as you could tell that Commodore and Hejda still are figuring out who will take who. That will come with time but it better not take too much time.
As the clock read 10:00 Brassard came into the goal and a chance to shoot and he wouldn't do it. He kept the puck and held it way to long and lost the opportunity. He has to be willing to pull the trigger or teams will just pull back and take his passing opportunity away. SHOOT THE PUCK!
10:52 in and Huselius made a pass to Malhotra for an excellent chance. Manny couldn't bury it but the pass let you know that Huselius is like a chess master that thinks 5 moves ahead.
12:05 GOOOOAAAALLLLLL - RJ Umberger stuffs the Buck uhh... I mean the puck into the net. Umberger from guess who Voracek and also Russell. Do you think Voracek belongs? Has been an impact player with whatever line Hitch puts him on. Pretty soon other players will start begging Hitch to let Voracek play on their line. He is the real deal.
12:55 Malhotra goes into the sin bin for a trip. Interesting that Hitch put Umberger and Modin together on the kill
13:36 Commodore gets a questionable tripping call and the Jackets are 2 men down. This isn't good. Murray is out on the point on the 5 on 3. Do you think Hitch trust him? Good clue on him making the team.
14:21 Weber blisters one in from the top of the left circle. Happens on the 5 on 3.
15:47 MacKenzie gets busted for goalie interference. Ellis must have taken some acting lessons because he acted like he was hit with a Mack truck.
17:10 Chimmer puts on the after burners and gets a short handed scoring chance. He waited to long to pull the trigger and ran out of room.
19:52 Suter gets busted so the Jackets will open the 2nd period on the powerplay.
Jackets out shot the Preds 13-8 but are down 2-1.
The 3rd line of Chimmer, Manny and Murray were very active and looked good.
More to come in the 2nd.
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Jackets put some pressure and Brassard even shot but came up empty on the powerplay. A little disorganized and needs work.
Preds get caught for too many men on the ice on 2:18 mark. RJU Voracek Modin Backman start it off. Preds almost scored shorthanded but works out as they get called for goalie interference at the 3:37 mark. Jackets are on the 5 on 3. Must score now.
Love getting dumped on the wireless internet. I will rewrite later but Voracek scored on the powerplay. Then Murray scored shortly to put the Jackets up 3-2.
GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL - 4:40 in Voracek scores on the powerplay assists from Nash and Tyutin. V-cek is taking over this game.
GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL - 5:19 in Murray scores getting helpers are Hedja and Chimmer. Murray just finds a way.
11:55 Nash gets whistled for hooking. No damage done but Klesla gets called for holding at 13:54. This penalty barage has to stop. It is becoming a trend in all of the Jackets preseason games.
16:08 - The Jackets go on their 4th powerplay. They are currently 1 for 3. Nothing and I mean nothing on the powerplay.
18:57 - Erat gets busted for elbowing. No chances before the end of the 2nd.
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Nashville switches goalies and goes with MacIntyre.
Jackets can't make anything on the powerplay. Brassard is starting to sorry me. I know it's the first game but he looks like he might not be ready for the deep water.
4:43 in and a whole lot of nothing on 1 shot by the Jackets and none for the Preds. Sulzer just caught a puck in the chops. Didn't look like it tickled.
5:47 in and Sestito just got hosed on a call for tripping. Defense is moving the puck out of the zone much better than what we have been used to in Jackets land.
8:14 in and the checking is starting to pick up. By the way did I mention that Voracek is a stud?
Also, letting you know that I will be going down to the lockerroom after the game so look for post game comments later tonight.
GOOOOOAAAALLLLL - 16:32 in and Huselius takes it coast to coast and beats MacIntyre like a drum. Brassard and Russell get generous assists to pad their stats.
Jackets 4 - Preds 2
Preds score at the 18:32 mark. Geoff Peters gets credit for the goal and Tootoo gets the assist.
Tytutin get taged with a penalty with only 20 seconds left. Preds have pulled their goalie so it is 6 on 4.
Did I keep you in suspense??? Jackets win! 4-3.
Post game comments coming soon.
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Voracek:
About the chemistry on the line - "We have been practicing together since the opening of training camp. I think we played pretty good today. We had a couple of scoring chances. But we have to work on a lot of things now. I think the most is the power play. Open of the regular season is like 2 weeks so we will work on it"
About the hit in the back after the whistle - "I was expecting it but it was just after the whistle. But the guys stand up for me so I feel good."
About getting the win - "It's a good feeling. We lost the first 2 on the road so it's always good to win the 1st game at home in the season and I think we are pretty confident now."
I asked about his early success in all 3 preseason games - "I think I was lucky today for getting points today. I feel pretty good on the ice. I worked out all summer so I think I can play like this all season."
I asked does the extra weight he added, does he feel the difference in his game - "For sure. I feel stronger than I was last year. I added 25 pounds is a lot but I still working out and still working hard."
What was it like playing with RJ Umberger and Fredrick Modin - "RJ had and outstanding playoffs last year and he is a pretty good player and is a power forward. Freddy, I don't know how many years he has played in the NHL, he has a lot of experience. Play with those 2 players feels pretty good feeling"
Have the vets showed you the ropes this year - "For sure, have help me in practice."
Leclaire:
How did he feel - "Always good to get the first one out the way. It's always the toughest one."
Comments on the defense - "The blocked a lot of shots. They are pretty big. They used the body a lot. We didn't give them too much. They are really mobile. Our break outs are pretty good. They did a really did a great job getting the puck out the zone."
I asked how the communication was - "It was OK. I thought it got better as the game went along. In the first period we might have had a couple misreads behind the net but thats normal it was our first game all together. No issue no big problems. We will get used to each other way more. So far so good."
I asked how the difference on the defense moving it out of the zone - "It has been a long time and it is hard to compare. It just seems that our group is quicker and bigger and mobile but I am a goalie and I don't like to talk about other positions I have enough to worry about. They played really well in front of me."
Nash
Give us a little slack. It was the 1st time ever playing together. You look at the best lines they have been playing together for years. Zetterburg and Datsyuk have been playing together for 3-4 years now. It was our 1st game, I thought we clicked pretty well."
I asked about how the defense moved it out of the zone - "I thought they were great. There were a lot of tape to tape passes. Backman and Tyutin were great. Commodore logged a lot of minutes, played great defensively. Overall most the guys (playing) their first game. I thought we looked good."
Asked what his thoughts were on Voracek - "I didn't see him much last year. He's going to be a special player if he keeps at it. He fit right in playing with Modin and Umberger. He made some nice passes. Going to the net hard, that's how he got his goal. If he keeps at and keeps working hard he's going to be a special player."
Hitchcock
Top 2 lines, how did they look - "In the 1st period we look like the Harlem Globetrotters. I thought we had flashes when we were really crisp. I thought there were a lot of positives. With the lineup that were going to play we aren't going to have a problem making plays. We need to learn how to manage the puck and getting players up to speed. We have a lot of work to do getting players up to speed chemistry wise. As much work as we have to do, we have a lot of potential on this team to get better. We have skill and we have some talent and we've got some moxie on our team."
What did you think of the defensive pairings - "The guy that stood out was Tyutin. I mean, we've not had a player that can play like Fedor can since I have been here anyway. He was very good. Collectively the group was fine. To me Tyutin allows us transition wise to do things that will be very important for us going forward. The other guy that stood out and has had a great preseason is Russell. Russell played very very well and has had great preseason. It looks like he is a lot more confident and a lot stronger. He's a dangerous player offensively now. He always has you on your heals, he can carry the puck throught the fore check. He can skate the puck out of the zone. I think those things are going be very very important for us moving forward."
Talking about the line of Brassard, Nash and Huselius - "I thought there were real flashes. When they played the game kind of in straight lines, I thought they were excellent. Then they, like anything else, when you have skilled people they had that 2nd period where they wanted to make plays and I thought they forced things a little bit." He went on to say that he thinks there are some real opportunities with the top 6 and he said that we have to add Torres to the discussion.
Asked about keeping the lines the same - "The one line that you need to have consistently together is your 3rd line. If your 3rd line plays the roll of a checking line, that line is so important for that line to be able to know exactly what each other are doing. Because they will be match up against the other teams best players."
Asked about Voracek's play tonight and the other games he's played - "The thing is as he is learning to play, because there is still a lot he has to learn, as he is learning to play he still gets points. I think that just shows what is his top end is. Because this is a hard league to play in and he gets points every game. He makes 2 or 3 plays that are no brainers every game. As he is learning to play the game the right way as he is trying to be effective he gets points. (He needs to learn )Puck support, the consistency in their shifts and those things. They are still learning those things but they are still effective."
See you Monday!
Fire the Cannon!
Eric Smith
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Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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